Crossword
by RanebowStitches
Summary: Ficlets for the pairing of Stan/Jarod because there's not enough fic for this movie. With each chapter a different clue is given so that the provided crossword puzzle can be filled out. Have fun and enjoy.
1. 15 Down

Here's the blank crossword: /jejvfkf  
The chapters don't go in numerical order, so watch out.  
Have fun, enjoy the fics~

Here's your first clue:  
15 Down: the act of catching fish

* * *

The morning fog was still settled like a blanket on top of the dark water by the time their boat had made it to the middle of the lake. The trees that surrounded the water's edge could be seen above the mist, but anything at eye level was swallowed in whiteness. If there were any other boats on the water, they wouldn't have been able to see them, nor would they be seen themselves. All was silent except for the lap of water hitting the small boat and bugs chirping in the distance. Together they sat.

Jarod stifled a yawn behind his hand before rubbing at his eyes, smudging the eyeliner he forgot to take off the previous night. He reeled in his line a couple of cranks before huffing and leaning forward, hunching in on himself. He held his rod loosely in one hand, the other shoved into his hoodie pocket. He sighed in aggravation, and watched as his breath came out as a cloud and mixed with the fog. He curled tighter in on himself. "Tell me again why we have to be out here so early?" Jarod asked, his voice cutting through the silence like a bullet. The boat tilted slightly as the man behind him shifted.

"This is the time when the fish are feeding. They enjoy the cooler temperature of the water and will move down deeper once the sun starts to heat it up," Stanley replied matter-of-factly. Behind him, he heard Jarod scoff and then the quick cranking of his reel. The sound of Jarod recasting his line followed not long after. "You know," Stanley started. "If you want to catch anything, you have to keep your hook in the water."

"They only thing I'm going to catch is pneumonia!" The boat rocked as Jarod gestured outwards with his arms. "It's been like 2 hours and we haven't caught anything. I'm cold and tired and want to go back to bed. How did I even let you convince me to come out here?" Sticking his fishing rod in the holster that was attached to the boat, Jarod pulled is hood up and over his head and wrapped both of his arms around his body, trying to conserve as much heat as possible. Stanley turned to look at the goth ball behind him and rolled his eyes. He couldn't see it, but he knew there was a pout on the face behind the black hood.

"You were the one who asked to go fishing in the first place," Stanley stated.

"Only because you put the idea into my head with that excuse you made up. I thought it'd be more exciting than this," Jarod waved one of his hands in the air to indicate "this". The fog around them was beginning to thin out, the coast becoming more visible.

"Well, you're welcome for giving into your requests. I'll be sure to just ignore you the next time you ask to do anything," Stanley said harshly, reeling his line in with sharp movements and examining his hook once it came out of the water. His worm had been nibbled off without his knowledge. He scowled at it and reached for the cooler to get another one.

As he was threading his new worm onto his hook, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind and a face nuzzle into the back of his neck. He stiffened only for a second before relaxing into the familiar touch, never taking his concentration off his task at hand. He could feel Jarod shiver as he leaned back into him in order to recast his line. Whether it was from the cold or the contact, he didn't know. The bobber hit the surface of the water with a small plop. Jarod's breath ghosted over his ear, "Thank you, Stan. Really." Stanley hummed in response.

Jarod pressed closer, leeching the heat from Stanley. He really wanted to crawl around and sit in Stanley's lap, but he knew if he did that he'd throw off the balance in the small boat and neither of them would be happy if they suddenly found themselves treading water. He looked off the side of the boat into the dark water, its surface like a smooth mirror. What lay beneath the inky surface? _Certainly not fish_ , Jarod thought with a smirk. He let his eyes close and let his body be lulled into relaxation by the soft rock of the boat. He smiled when he felt one of Stanley's hands cover his own, squeezing it softly.

Stanley's bobber suddenly sunk into the black water.


	2. 12 Across

12 Across: hiding of one's feelings or purposes

* * *

Stanley patted at his pockets, frowning when he didn't feel the familiar object. He moved to the musty motel bed where he'd thrown his jacket and searched through its pockets to no avail. Tapping his foot, he looked around the room. The walls were a faded yellow, and the paint was peeling in the upper corners revealing the drywall beneath it. The carpet had either been blue or green but now it was just an unappealing brown mess with multiple black stains. The bed was a queen (according to the manager, there were no more two bed rooms available at the moment) and looked as though its last occupant was an elephant the way it sagged. The sheets looked clean enough though. The whole room was standard motel quality.

Stanley's eyes scanned over the scratched and warped wood of the TV stand and bedside table. Not there either. His eyes fell on Jarod's backpack, but he knew it wasn't there and didn't want to snoop through the boy's things. He patted at his pockets again, just in case, before sighing and making his way across the room to the small kitchenette area that connected the "bedroom" to the "bathroom". The sound of the shower running could be heard clearly through the thin bathroom door. Stanley knocked on said door and waited until he heard a, "Yeah?" before opening it a crack and poking his head in. The room was just big enough for a toilet and a poor excuse of a shower (the sink was out in the kitchenette area). Jarod had already managed to fill the entire room with steam from his boiling hot shower. The thin shower curtain was opaque enough that Stanley couldn't see much through it, not that he was actively looking.

"I can't find my wallet," He said. "Do you have any idea where it could be?"

"Yeah, it's in the center console in the car," Jared replied matter-of-factly from behind the curtain. "You put it there when we switched places so you wouldn't be sitting on it in your back pocket." Stanley rubbed at the bridge of his nose in annoyance. How had he forgotten that? He thanked the other who gave an affirmative hum back in response.

"I'm going to get something from the snack machine back at the front office. You want anything?"

Jarod pulled the curtain of the shower back just enough to stick his head out and drip water all over the floor. His dark hair still had shampoo clinging to it, and his heavy eyeliner was starting to melt down his cheeks. He grinned and said, "Flamin' Hot Cheetos!" Stanley just rolled his eyes and turned to leave, closing the door behind him and trying to erase the image of a dripping wet Jarod from his mind. He didn't know how someone could eat so much of a single snack food and not end up hating it, but Jarod had managed to get a bag or two at every stop they made that had them, and if they didn't have the Cheetos, then Funyuns sufficed.

Throwing his jacket on, Stanley made his way out to the car. He had only gotten about half way to the car before he realized that his car keys weren't in his jacket pocket like he had thought. Only the motel room key was there. He sighed and turned back around. What was with him tonight?

Once back inside, he began searching around the room like he had a moment ago. Not on the TV stand, not on the bedside table, not on the bed… His eyes fell onto Jarod's backpack again and that's when he realized that Jarod never gave him back his keys after they had switched spots. That meant Jarod had brought the car keys in, but where he put them was another question. Would he have thrown them in his bag? Stanley walked over to it and glanced inside the main pocket that was open wide. He could see nothing but a few shirts and a carton of cigarettes. He figured the keys would be right on top if they were in there, and since they weren't, they had to be elsewhere. As he glanced over towards the bathroom (debating about whether he should just ask Jarod again) his eye caught something black on the off-white tile of the kitchenette sink. Jarod's hoodie. Of course.

Stanley quickly strode over to the sink and picked up the article of clothing, feeling the weight of something in the pocket. He grinned. Reaching into the pocket, he felt the cardboard case of a pack of cigarettes, the smooth plastic of a lighter, and the cool metal of the keys. He had just pulled them out when a low noise floated out from inside the bathroom. It had almost sounded like Jarod was hurt, but the sound of the shower had obscured it a bit. Stanley froze and listened.

Another groan echoed out from the small room, louder this time, and followed by Stanley's name. Stanley's eyes grew wide and his breath hitched. He had never heard his own name said in such a lustful tone, nor had he ever had it followed by gasps and moans of desire. Stanley couldn't move. The imagined vision of Jarod, water streaming down his body, pleasuring himself while thinking of Stanley, was seared into his mind's eye. The boy's lithe body, pale like marble from lack of sun, would be arching as his hips moved in a slow rhythm. Black hair, a stark contrast to his skin, would be trailing down his lower abdomen along with droplets of water. His beautiful face, full of pure bliss, and he had Stanley's name on his tongue.

Oh god. Stanley groaned softly, shaking his head to try and clear it. If he wasn't already going to hell, he was now. He jumped as his name was shouted louder than before, followed by silence but for the water pattering. He looked down at the car keys in his clenched fist, remembering what he had been there for in the first place. Turning swiftly, he was out the front door just as the shower shut off.

Jarod stepped out of the bathroom clad in boxer shorts and a clean T-shirt, still toweling off his hair. Steam escaped from behind him and fogged up the mirror that hung above the sink in the kitchenette area. It was quite possible that he had used up all the hot water for the entire motel, but he didn't care in the least. He studied his reflection in said mirror, wiping away a fog-free area with his hand. His eyeliner hadn't come all the way off in the shower, so he wiped at his face with the towel to remove the rest. Without the blackness around his eyes, he looked younger and more open. Innocent, in a way. He sighed and began styling his hair with his fingers so that it'd dry in a normal fashion. Once he was done, he threw the towel back into the bathroom (aiming for the shower but hitting the floor) and grabbed his hoodie off the counter, slipping it on over his T-shirt. Turning, he entered the main room.

Stanley still wasn't back it seemed. Jarod moved his backpack from the bed to the floor before grabbing the TV remote off the stand and slipping his legs under the blankets on one side of the bed. He positioned two pillows against the headboard and relaxed against them. The warmth (and slight dopamine high) from his shower still clung to him, and he felt content. Turning the TV on, Jarod quickly realized there were only 5 channels on the old TV and the best reception came through on either the news or Wheel of Fortune reruns. He chose the latter because he knew that Stanley would be interested in watching it as well when he got back. He smiled at the thought of the other man and sunk a little lower under the comforter.

Twenty minutes later, Jarod was dozing off, half paying attention to the woman on the screen buying a vowel, when Stanley reentered the room. He was holding an armful of different vending machine snacks, that of which he dumped onto the dresser next to the TV. Jarod pushed himself up from where he had been slumping against the headboard so that he was now sitting straight up. He watched as Stanley sorted through the snacks before grabbing a specific bag of Cheetos and throwing them at Jarod. The younger caught them mid-air and let out a, "YES!" in excitement. He tore open his prize and began munching down on the spicy snack. "Thank you!" he said as Stanley was taking off his jacket and setting it on the dresser as well. Stanley just nodded quickly and hummed in acknowledgement, slipping his shoes off and placing them by the door. He ran a hand nervously over his hair when he turned back to the room, and Jarod immediately could tell something was off. Stanley wouldn't look at him. Like, he was pointedly avoiding looking at Jarod, his eyes cast downwards, and Jarod could see his hands shaking even from a couple feet away. Had something happened while he was out?

The gameshow was still playing, but Jarod was pretending to watch it, more interested in studying Stanley. Out of the corner of his eyes, Jarod watched as Stanley picked up the newspaper from the bedside table that he had placed there earlier, and then hesitate. He was examining the bed looking unsure, and Jarod could feel the other's eyes run down his body. He shivered and stuck another Cheeto into his mouth. When a moment had passed, he heard Stanley sigh and felt the bed dip next to him. He looked over to see Stanley sitting atop the blankets, newspaper and pen in hand, opened to a half finished crossword, and glasses poised on his nose. This was not an unfamiliar scene in the least, but the way that Stanley was sitting, very stiff and with shaking hands, worried Jarod. He couldn't tell if the expression on Stanley's face was nervousness or shock. He munched on another Cheeto.

On the TV the buzzer sounded. The contestant had guessed a wrong letter. "These people are so dumb," Jarod said, trying to break the tension that had settled between them. He felt the bed jerk as Stanley flinched in surprise, but he pretended he did not. "The phrase is obviously 'PARTNERS IN LOVE AND WAR', why would you guess 'D'?" He scoffed and looked over at Stanley who was looking at the TV like it was something he had never seen before in his life.

"I- I couldn't say," Staley mumbled out before looking back down at his own puzzle. He had reread the same clue about five times now, and he could feel Jarod's eyes boring into him. He knew he was acting strange and Jarod was on to him. Sweat was starting to bead on the nape of his neck. Stanley cleared his throat and risked a glance over at Jarod. The boy was already looking at him, shoving another couple of Cheetos into his mouth. Without the black makeup around his eyes he looked so much younger, which just made Stanley that much more anxious. Jarod frowned at him. Oh no.

"Are you feeling ok?" Jarod asked. "You seem… on edge."

"I'm fine," Stanley's voice wavered slightly. "Just, uh… fine. How are you?" Stanley wanted to shoot himself in the foot right now.

Jared titled his head, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion, before slowly answering, "I'm fine too." He put the last Cheeto into his mouth before balling up the empty bag and placing it on the bedside table.

"Good! Good…" Stanley chuckled nervously and looked back at his puzzle. Had he always been this bad at confrontations? He felt Jarod shift closer to him on the bed and he held his breath.

"Need any help on your puzzle?" Jarod asked as he leaned over to try and read a clue. Still unable to see the paper from the angle he was at, he scooted closer and leaned into the side of Stanley's arm. The contact made Stanley jump and scramble off the bed ungracefully.

"I-I think I'm going to go out for some fresh air!"

"Stan! Stop!" Stanley's hand was on the door knob. "Please!" He sighed and let his shoulders drop, turning back towards the younger who was still on the bed, reaching out to him. Stanley could see the tears starting to form around Jarod's eyes. "What- what is wrong, Stan? You've been acting weird ever since you got back. Did something happen that I don't know about?"

Stanley sighed again and took his glasses off, pinching the bridge of his nose. He opened his mouth to say something but then closed it again. He glanced at Jarod, who was staring at him with worry all over his face, and then looked away. He stared at the ceiling as he finally said, "I heard- I heard you."

"You heard me?" Jarod raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Stanley groaned and gestured towards the bathroom with his glasses.

"I heard you in the shower!" He exclaimed, causing Jarod to sit back in surprise. "I- you still had the car keys in your jacket pocket. I came back to get them, and I heard you. In the shower," His voice had gradually become softer as he spoke, the last word barely audible. He could not make eye contact with Jarod to save his life, but he looked at the spot on the wall right above his head and he could see the younger growing red.

Jarod's mouth opened and closed a few times before he stuttered out, "I-I don't know w-what you mean." Nervously chuckling, he pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them.

"Jared," Stanley groaned out in slight annoyance. "I think you do know what I mean. I heard you. You said… my name." Stanley felt his own face heat up slightly at the memory. He watched as Jarod buried his face into his upraised knees and covered his head with his hands. Stanley felt his heart clench at the sight. He knew this was going to an awkward chat and he didn't feel at all prepared to be having it. An awkward silence fell upon the two, broken a few minutes later by a small sob from the boy on the bed. Stanley started at the sound. He hadn't meant for this to impact Jarod so much. Was there more to this than he knew?

He immediately made his way to Jarod's side of the bed and sat down. He left enough space between them so that he wasn't too close, but wasn't too far as well. He wanted to reach out and touch Jarod, to reassure him that he was there, but it felt like right now was not the time. "Hey," he said softly. "Hey, it's ok. I understand. You're young. You've got all these hormones doing who knows what in you. You can't control it. It-it's natural."

"No," Jarod whined, muffled by his knees. He raised his head up and wiped at his eyes and nose with his hoodie sleeve. He didn't look at Stanley, just stared at the bed in front of him. "No, that's- that's just it. This isn't natural, and now you're going to hate me."

Stan stared at him in shock and confusion, one eyebrow raised. "What are you talking about?" He asked. "Why would I hate you?"

Jarod groaned and laced his fingers through his hair, pulling at it. "Because, Stan!" He exclaimed. "Something has to be fucked up in my head because it isn't just teenage hormones and shit! I have actual feelings for you, okay? I- I get this warm and tight feeling in my chest from just thinking about you or being near you, and i-it's weird and I tried to ignore it. I tried to force myself to think of other people, my age people, but nothing worked. It always led back to you," Jarod looked up at Stan, his face hard steeled. Stan stared back at him with wide eyes. Jarod knew that he was throwing a lot at Stanley, but it was now or never. He just wished in the back of his mind that there was some way that Stanley could accept him despite his feelings and they could just continue on like none of this ever happened. He wasn't very hopeful though. "I'm sorry. If you want me to leave I will. You have every right to kick me out and hate me."

The two stared at each other for a long moment, Stanley in shock and Jared in hard resolution. The only sound was the TV playing in the background. Someone had guessed the correct phrase and the audience was clapping. Jarod finally looked away from the other's still stunned face, tears forming back in his eyes. He sniffed and rubbed at his nose again, already mentally planning how he was going to hitchhike his way somewhere far from here. That's when he felt a hand lay softly against his elbow. He looked over to see a smiling Stanley who had a little bit of a blush tinting his cheeks. Jarod raised an eyebrow.

"I don't hate you," Stanley started, squeezing Jarod's elbow gently. "And if you're messed up in the head… then I must be too."

Jarod squinted his eyes, looking at Stanley suspiciously. Was he saying what he thought he was? His heart did a somersault in his chest and his stomach felt like it was going to climb out of his mouth. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I think I might have… feelings… for you as well. They've been there for a while, I think, I just never knew what they were exactly. At first I thought maybe it was the feeling a father had for a son, or a mentor to an apprentice, but… that never seemed to fit right," Stanley looked away from Jarod's face, watching his own hand as he trailed it down Jarod's arm till he grasped lightly at the sleeve cuff, holding it as a child would to tug on an adult's sleeve. "I get the warm feeling and butterflies when we're close. I guess I just never considered that it could've been anything more than platonic, but…" He ran is fingers over Jarod's and felt the younger shiver. Looking up, he gave the other a smile and got one in return. "I'd like to give it a try, if you'd like. Give _us_ a try, that is."

Jarod felt like his cheeks were going to rip with how big of a smile he suddenly had plastered to his face. Tears welled up in his eyes again, but this time from happiness, and he wiped them away quickly. This was way too good to be true. Jarod paused in his thinking, because maybe it really was too good to be true. He frowned and watched Stanley's expression turn to confusion. Taking Stanley's hand in his, he laced their fingers together and scooted a little closer on the bed. "I'd like that a lot, but…" He cocked his head to the side. "How do I know you're not just taking advantage of my feelings for you and manipulating me?"

Stanley started at the question, but sighed. "Do you really think of me so low?"

"No," Jarod replied honestly, staring at their interlaced hands. "It's just a nagging thought in the back of my head."

"It's alright; I suppose I'd be worried if you _didn't_ have it. Let's just take things slow for now, hmm? If I do anything that makes you uncomfortable just tell me and I'll stop right away. Though, you probably have more… experience in the area of relationships than I do, so perhaps you can teach me a few things," Stanley chuckled and brought their hands up to place a light kiss on Jarod's. The younger blushed and laughed softly. The sound of cheering came from the TV. Somebody had just won the grand prize.


End file.
